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In the holiday season, we are all thankful -- for our families, for our friends, and for the blessings in our lives. Everyone at the Leadership Institute is thankful for you, and your support of the Institute and training the next generation of conservative leaders. LI is thankful for all you do to fight for conservative principles.

Whether at worship at church or gathering for a meal with family and friends, the Institute hopes you have a blessed and joyous day.

From all of your friends at the Leadership Institute, we wish you a very Merry Christmas and thank you for your loyal support.

“Politics for me is about real world issues that affect us every day,” said Brendan, campaign manager for Senator John Cornyn of Texas.

Since playing an integral part in the organization of the tea party in 2010, Brendan has helped elect many prominent conservative politicians, including Rand Paul, Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, and many others.

Brendan isn’t alone in his effort to make conservative politics personal. He helps recruit and train new grassroots activists for a growing movement. And it’s paying off.

With a Republican majority in Congress, many incumbent and newly-elected conservative politicians have local grassroots efforts to thank. More importantly, they have the people behind those efforts to...

West Virginia Congressman-elect Alex Mooney knows politics well enough to know a good heart isn’t all it takes to win an election.

The first Hispanic elected to Congress in West Virginia history, Alex is a Leadership Institute (LI) grad who will join a U.S. House of Representatives with a Republican majority. Owning a majority brings expectations, and Alex is excited to do his part in meeting those.

“With the strong majority I will be joining in the U.S. House of Representatives, voters are going to expect us to fight for them and deliver results,” he said.

Our nation’s first president issued a proclamation of Thanksgiving on October 3, 1789 “to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many favors of Almighty God ... especially an opportunity to establish a form of government for our safety and happiness.”

In his proclamation, George Washington also asked Americans to pray for our government to be “a blessing to all the people by constantly being a government of wise, just, and constitutional laws.”

A fellow Leadership Institute's donor graciously loaned a full-size portrait of George Washington. It stands in the Leadership Institute’s headquarters to remind my staff and me about the America our founding fathers built – a country built on prayer, tradition, and hard work.

Few activists have accomplished as much as Carl Andersen has at his age.

The son of a successful construction entrepreneur and raised on a chicken farm in South Jutland, Denmark, Carl has begun fighting for the conservative cause in his home country.

Despite being a 19-year-old recent high school graduate, Carl is already very involved in Danish politics.

“I have been a member of Liberal Alliance and Liberal Alliance Youth since 2009, and have risen in the party on every single level,” he said. “I am on some boards at local, regional, and national levels, and run some campaigns for our candidates. I got elected to the county board in Vejen last year. I am now sitting as a member of the Technique and Environment Committee.”

In September 2014, Carl began working as an intern at the Leadership Institute (LI). As an intern, he has been able to take trainings he believes will help him continue advancing conservative principles in Denmark.

“Especially, I like that LI is an international organization; LI does not only focus on Americans and America, but on freeing the world from...

Recalling his life in the Soviet Union, Igor Birman paints a dreary picture.

“Imagine every aspect of your life from the cradle to the grave being dictated to you by government,” said Igor. “No matter your talents or wishes, you had little say in your own future.”

Igor Birman was born in the Soviet Union in 1981. After a decade of Soviet refusals for exit permits, his family arrived in California in 1994.

Igor first felt compelled to defend conservative principles as a student columnist at UC Davis, where he studied Political Science.

“My parents risked everything to get me out of the Soviet Union where freedom did not exist and into the United States, which was founded on the notions of personal responsibility, limited government and individual liberty,” said Igor. “How could I possibly not dedicate my life to ensuring...

All my staff at the Leadership Institute join me in honoring our veterans in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard.

Our nation’s armed forces give their blood, toil, tears, and sweat – both in war and peacetime – to keep America free.

I count myself blessed to live in a prosperous country defended by the greatest military in the world. And our country still holds a special place in history, despite all that the liberals do to sabotage it.

Let me share with you an article about Army veteran and Leadership Institute graduate Larry Provost.

Because they graduated from LI training, many winning candidates in 2014 understood how to effectively run and win.

"Thanks to you Morton and LI staff, there are countless conservatives making a difference in public policy across the country," said soon to be Senate Majority Leader, Mitch McConnell. "As one of your earliest students, I know firsthand what a wonderful foundation the Leadership Institute’s education provides for someone involved in public service."

Here are some of the many LI and Morton Blackwell trained candidates who won accross the United States in 2014...

The Leadership Institute (LI) identifies, trains, and places conservatives who are prepared, and they win races.

“I am so proud of the work Morton Blackwell has done over the past fifty years to build a winning conservative movement,” said David Fenner, Vice President of Programs at the Leadership Institute. “Last night, Leadership Institute trained candidates, staff, and volunteers worked hard and smart in local, state, and federal campaigns in all fifty states. Despite staying up most of the night, Morton...

An Ohio native and Toledo graduate, Paula got her start in online activism with her work on education. Following a series of articles bashing homeschooling published in a large local newspaper, Paula began educating others on homeschooling through emails, message boards, and blogs.

“Homeschooling crosses all demographic lines and there is also an incredible amount of variety and diversity in the education styles we see in homeschooling families,” Paula said.

After receiving nationwide attention, Paula launched her own blog, primarily focusing on homeschooling and education.